minakos melancholy
by tuxedomask-off
Summary: She might've looked okay in front of her friends, but she really wasn't. Her parent's divorce bothered Minako more than she'd thought.


It was just a normal study session for the five Sailor Senshi at Makoto's apartment. Usually, they would be held at Hikawa Shrine, but since Makoto really wanted to invite them over to her place, they complied.

They opened their books and were ready to do some work, but really, work was the farthest thing on Minako's mind. The only thing on her mind right now, was her parent's divorce. It almost felt like the word was echoing in Minako's brain the moment she heard her mother say it.

Her parents were going through some rough times. One minute they were fighting, the other minute they were...still fighting. It had been going on like this for a few months now actually, her father coming back home in the middle of the night, yelling at her mother until it was light outside. Minako couldn't take it.

She had a good relationship with her father, though. Even if some nights he didn't come home, they were still close. Her mother, however, wasn't that close with her. She would always just yell at her at everything. But she, somewhat I guess, loved both of her parents dearly. The fact that she didn't have any siblings for comfort made matters worse, because Minako felt like she couldn't possibly go whining to her friends about personal problems like this, no matter how close they were with each other.

Her mother had mentioned a divorce a few weeks ago, and poor Minako couldn't get it out of her head. Since then, she'd been unintentionally distant with her friends, without even noticing it. She wasn't sure if they starting to catch on or not, but they had made some plans in the past few weeks, but Minako denied every time, saying that she had volleyball practice, or something. Which of course, was very unlike the bubbly and cheerful blonde to deny any sort of hang out.

Minako couldn't bring herself to tell anyone. She felt like she had to plaster a fake smile and laugh like everything was okay. It killed her to lie to her friends, but they brought the act anyways.

Well, _most_ of them did.

Minako's cerulean eyes looked up from her textbook and met with Rei's amethyst stare on the opposite side of the table. There was something about the mysterious girl that intrigued Minako, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She was torn between wanting to be more like Rei, or _wanting_ Rei. But obviously, she kept those thoughts to herself.

When the blonde realized she'd been staring at Rei more than she intended to, Minako quickly looked back down at the textbook as a slight dash of pink appeared on her cheeks. Her lips turned into a frown when she realized she hadn't even started working on her homework. Minako sighed and blew her bangs up. She could really care less about school, with her duties as a Sailor Senshi and personal problems at home, homework was the last thing to worry about.

"Hey, Minako-chan?" Ami's quiet and soft voice amongst the silence brought Minako back to reality. "Could I borrow your biology textbook for tonight? I'll promise to give it back tomorrow."

"Hm?" Her eyes turned to the bluenette and then she realized she asked her a question. "Oh, right. Of course." She replied hastily, reaching into her bag for the textbook. "Here, Ami-chan."

"Thanks." Ami said, putting her glasses back on the bridge of her nose and getting straight on with her work. Minako wished she could do the same, but she just couldn't focus on her homework right now. A loud noise outside made everyone jump, especially Usagi.

"Ahhh! I can't stand thunder and lightning!" She screamed, using her hands to cover her ears as she whimpered.

Rei rolled her eyes. "Shut up Usagi-chan, it's just a little rain!" She yelled in aggravation as she smacked Usagi on the back of her head. "You're disturbing our study session!"

"Owwie! You're so mean!" She cried, rubbing the spot on her head.

"Rei-chan is right, if we don't study, we'll lose brain cells, therefore we will be stupid!" Ami responded as the other four groaned and shook their head.

Usagi was about to open her mouth to reply, but a flash of lightning and a low rumble of thunder was enough to make her close it. Or, at least until she started to squeal again.

Makoto stood up and looked out the window, wiping off some of the condensation on it. "Huh, it looks pretty late outside, maybe we should take a break. Would you guys like some tea?"

Usagi immediately stopped her racket at the mention of something edible. "Ohhh, yes please! And will you make some cookies?" She pleaded.

Makoto shook her head and chuckled. "Sure."

"Oh, thank you Mako-chan! I haven't eaten anything in 20 minutes!" She sighed dramatically, leaning on Rei, who pushed her off immediately.

While Makoto went to make some tea, and cookies for Usagi's fat ass, Minako looked out the window. Tokyo was always prettier at night, well...when it wasn't pouring with rain. The blonde frowned for what seemed like the umpteenth time today as she chewed on the end of her pencil.

"Say, Minako-chan...You've been kinda quiet today.." Usagi said, hugging a pillow. "Is something wrong?"

"I agree, you haven't even started your homework yet." Ami said, slightly annoyed.

Minako didn't look at them as she tried to hide the slight tears in her eyes. "I'm... fine." She paused a bit at the beginning, before finishing her sentence.

"Are you sure?" Usagi asked, playing with her long, blonde hair.

Minako's trembling hands balled into fists as she slammed them on the table loudly. "I said I'm fine!" She yelled, tightly closing her eyes. She had lost it and completely lashed out on her friends. Minako got up and hastily grabbed her bag, heading for the door. "I'm going home." She said as her voice trembled and tears pricked at her eyes.

"B-but it's dark and stormy outside!" Usagi said, still shocked at her friend's sudden outburst. "Please! I can call Mamo-chan or Haruka-chan to drive you home safely!"

There was no response, just the sound of the front door being slammed loudly followed by immediate silence.

Ami was the first to speak up. "That's...really unlike her. I mean, to just suddenly lash out." She said, cleaning her glasses.

"I knew there was something wrong with her, I could sense it before." Rei sighed, rubbing her temples. "There's always something wrong with her."

"I don't know, this time it seems serious," Ami began, "but why wouldn't she tell us? I understand some things might be personal, but that's why we're here to talk about them, isn't it?"

Rei sighed again, looking out the window. It was stormy and cold. As annoying as the blonde was, she hoped Minako was okay. "Yeah."

* * *

Minako sat down on the swing dejectedly, allowing the rain to completely consume her. She sobbed in her hands, not caring that her clothes were wet. She hated the fact that her parent's divorce bothered her more than she'd thought. She hated the fact that she _wanted_ to solve all her problems alone, when it was pretty obvious that she couldn't handle them. She hated...lying to her friends.

The last thought made her cry even harder. She didn't know why she couldn't muster enough courage to tell them.

 _Because it's just a stupid fucking divorce._ Minako thought. _Your problems aren't their problem._

Her hands were trembling. Her body was cold and wet. Her bright cerulean eyes were now bloodshot red. She felt like she was going to fall off the swing because her head hurt so much, so much that it was making her so dizzy. Minako felt her life was crumbling at this rate, this was her breaking point.

Minako looked up through her teary eyes. She saw someone standing in front of her, face hidden underneath an umbrella. Minako didn't have to see the face to know who it was. The blonde looked away, not wanting to make any sort of contact with the person.

"Minako Aino," She sighed, sitting on the open swing next to her, "care to tell me why you ran off like that?"

Minako hugged herself, slowly looking up at her. Looking into those beautiful amethyst eyes she envied.

"I'm not okay." Her voice came out in barely a whisper, and it was hard to hear with all the rain and thunder. "Rei-chan, I know this is unusual of me, but I'm-I swear I'm not joking." She said as tears fell down her cheek again.

Rei held her umbrella over Minako's head, who she had now realized was cold and wet. Rei knotted her eyebrows together. "Why _would_ you be joking at a time like this? Minako-chan, I believe you." She replied. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I-I don't want to…" She sobbed into her hands. "It's dumb, a-and I'm making a big fuss over it."

Rei eyed her carefully, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Minako." She said sternly. "Tell me what's wrong." She repeated.

Minako averted her eyes, desperately focusing her eyesight on literally _anything_ else but the other girl, so she decided that observing the wet grass that squelched underneath her shoe was more interesting to look at than Rei. (It really wasn't)

"The legal dissolution of a marriage by a court." The blonde said as she looked up at Rei hopelessly. "A divorce. My parents are getting a divorce." Minako sniffled as she tried to put a hand to her mouth to contain her sobs. It wasn't working. "A-and don't tell anyone, b-but maybe I'm a little less t-than cool about it."

Rei sighed and turned her head away, biting at her thumb. "Hm, I knew it all along." She said, looking back at Minako. "I sensed something was wrong, anyways."

Minako threw herself at the other girl, hugging her tightly. Rei, of course, was a bit taken aback by this, but she slowly wrapped her free arm around Minako, while the other one held the umbrella over the both of them.

As the blonde trembled in her arms, Rei tried to reassure the girl. _Tried_ being the key word.

"H-hey, hey, look, Minako-chan. Look at me." Rei said, tilting Minako's chin up so she could see her. "I know it's hard for you, but that's why I'm here, and everyone else, too. It'll be alright, okay?"

She nodded, sniffling slightly. "O-okay. Okay."

Minako's heart was pounding so hard at the moment, that she thought it was going to jump right out her chest. She was thankful that it was dark outside, otherwise Rei would have seen Minako blushing so intensely right now. Her speciality was boys, so why was she feeling like this around Rei?

Minako slowly pulled away from the other girl, turning her head away as she bit her thumb nervously. "Um, can I ask you something?"

Rei straightened her posture, flipping her long raven locks behind her shoulder. "Of course."

Minako cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "Do..do you-have you ever wanted a boyfriend, Rei-chan?" She said, looking at the raven.

She scoffed and shook her head. "I've told you before, didn't i? I have no intentions of having a boyfriend. And quite frankly, I prefer _not_ to rely on men for everything."

The blonde nodded slowly, debating whether or not to ask Rei her next question. Minako took a deep breath and nervously played with a lock of her hair. "Then...have you ever.." Minako paused for a bit, trying to sort out her thoughts. What if Rei rejected her? How awkward would that be? What if she ran away out of embarrassment? No, no, Rei wouldn't do that, would she?

Minako swallowed. "H-have you ever considered girls t-then?" She hated how shaky her voice had become, it made her sound weak.

Rei's dark eyebrows knotted together. "Have I ever considered girls?" She asked as Minako nodded. She massaged her temples. "No, I haven't. Maybe it's cause I haven't found the one, but the idea of love doesn't appeal to me."

"Is it because you've never fallen in love?" Minako asked, averting her eyes from her. "Or do you really think you're not loveable?"

Rei narrowed her eyes at the Minako. "Okay, listen up blondie. I came here because I wanted to console you, not to play 20 useless questions about love."

Minako's hands twitched, refraining herself from saying it. But her brain stopped working for a second, and she accidentally blurted it out. "I-I like you, Rei-chan! A lot!"

She froze for a second, and immediately covered her mouth over with her hand, as if the action could take back what she'd said.

Rei lifted a confused eyebrow. "Y-you..you.. What?"

"I-I..I mean..I-what I meant…" Minako stuttered as she tried desperately to think of a response. She was now blushing profoundly, so much to which she had to shield her face with her shaking hands. "I-I didn't mean to say that.."

 _You idiot! What if she shuts you out of her life?_ Minako mentally scolded herself. _God...I'm such an idiot…_ She wished she could just teleport to the other side of the world right now, or just completely vanish from Earth.

Rei slowly pulled away Minako's hands that covered her teary-stained face which was bright red from embarrassment. The blonde had tried not to make eye contact with the raven, but found it almost impossible as her bright cerulean eyes reluctantly drifted towards Rei's dark amethyst ones.

"Hey..blondie. I'm not mad at you." Rei spoke softly and cupped Minako's cheeks in both of her hands. She wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. "Just please don't cry anymore. You know I hate the waterworks."

"Why aren't you mad at me?" Minako whispered, her lips quivering. "I'd be mad if I were you."

Rei smiled warmly. "Huh, you really are something." She said. "You're not so bad looking. Isn't that right, Princess of Venus?

Minako managed a smile. A genuine one. But that was all over in a second, and her bright expression was replaced with a frown. She sighed, hugging Rei tightly. "Sorry my mood keeps changing, I'm just upset about the divorce."

"It's okay." She reassured, stroking Minako's blonde hair. "You can stay at the Shine if you want."

Minako looked up at her. God, she was stunning in the moonlight. Even if it was still pouring with rain. Before the blonde could even comprehend what she was doing, Minako grabbed Rei's cheeks and gave her a quick peck on the lips. She wanted the kiss to last longer, but was afraid of what the other girl would say.

"Sorry." Minako mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

Rei didn't say anything, only pulling Minako in to kiss her again with such passion.

I guess running off in the rain did have some advantages.


End file.
